Railroad-crossing gate.



L. G. EGGLESTON & E. OLIVANT.

RAILROAD CROSSING GATE. APPucmou FILED 1A'N.21. i914.

Patented; Feb. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES L. G. EGGLESTON & E. OLIVANT.

RAILROAD CROSSING GATE. APPLlCATlON FILED JAN. 21', x914.

Patented Feb. 8, 916

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 'I NVENTORS Q L-G-Eggstm 4". M

E,OZz uani.

UNITED STATES PATENT onmcn.

LAUNCELOT GEORGE EGGLESTON AND EDWARD OLIVANT, OF LONDON, ONTARIO,

CANADA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING GATE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filed January 21, 1914. Serial No. 813,448.

To all whom it mayconcern:

which the following is the specification.

'Our invention relates to improvements in railroad crossing gates and the object of the invention is to devise a simple, automatic mechanism whereby the gate isautomatically raised and lowered by a train passing in either direction or in the case of a double track to devise a mechanism by which the first train passing the crossing would lower the gate and the last train passing'the crossing would raise the gate and it consists essentially of a lever swung intermediately of its length and having a weight at one end, a rocking rod supportmg the lever, a swingable gate arm, means for'rocking the gate arm operated by the I rocking rod, a rocking arm located at each.

end of the crossing and at the-side of each track and actuated by a passing train, a latch device located at the end of' each crossing and at the side of each track and comprising a slidable notched bar and a latch bar co-acting with the notch of the bar, a

cable connection between the outer side of each, rocking arm the outer end. of each notchedbar, a cable iconnection between the inner; end. of each notched bar at one end of the crossing, and the weighted end of the weighted lever, a cable connection between the inner end of the notched bars at the opposite end of the crossing and the free end of the weighted lever, and a cable connection between the inner side of each rocking arm and one of the latched bars atthe opposite end of the crossing as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Figure 1, is a general perspective view of a railroad crossing gate and operating mechanism. 1 Fig. 2,.is a detail of the operating lever. Fig. '3, is a detail of the locking latcln' y y In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure. A and A are a pair of tracks, the track A comprising the rails A and A and the track A comprising the rails A and A.

B and B are swinging gate arms ofthe crossing gate mounted on suitable standards B and B B is a pinion mounted on a stud extending from each standard B and B (1 1s a right angular arm connected to the pinion B so that the horizontal portion of secured to the rocking rod C and a weight E connecting the arms together at one end of the lever E.

F and F and G and G are train operating arms mounted on rocking rods F extending beneath the rails A and A and journaled in suitable bearing brackets.

F is an arm secured to the opposite end of the rocking rod F and provided with a roller F located slightly above the level of the crown of the rail A.

F is a pin extending from each and F F are slotted links mounted at their upper ends onthe pin F and connected at their lower ends by the tension spring F to a suitable support.

2, 3, i and 5 are pulleys mounted on suitarm F able brackets secured to the road bed.

6, 7, 8 and 9 are cables. The cables 6 and 9 extend from the left hand side of the le vers F and G around the pulleys 2 and d and the cables 7 and 8 extend from the right hand side of the arms F and G around the pulleys 8 and 5.

H, H, H and H are longitudinally movable locking bars, each provided with a notch H intermediately of their length. The looking bars H, H, H and H are slidably held in suitable guiding brackets H and H.

I are latch bars swung in suitable brackets I and extending across each lockingbar H, H, H and H in proximity to one end thereof when the locking bar is in its norrhal position. .The free ends of the cables 6, 7, 9 and 8 are connected to one endof each locking bar H, H, H and H 9, 10 11 and 12 are cablesextending from the opposite ends of the locking. bars H, H",

H and H over suitable guiding pulleys to t e ends of the arms E and E of the lever I extending from the J are inverted U-shaped extending over the latch bars I. I a v 22 and 23 are cablese'xtending from the left hand side of the arms F. and G over suitable guiding pulleysand pass through the slotted ends of the latch bars I co-acting With the slidable bars H and H Having described the principal partsinvolved in our invention we shallbriefiy describe the operation of the same. i

For the purposeof illustration we will say that the train is passing in the direction of arrow along the track 'The flange of the train contacts with the roller F forcing the same and the arm G in the direction of arrow thereby pulling upon the cable 9 and allowing the cable 18 to slacken, the weight 20 drawing ation the locking bar, H is drawn longitudinally in the directionof arrow until the notch H thereof passes beneath the latch bar I, such bar dropping into the notch and locking the bar H in a stationary position. The inward movement of the locking bar H serves to place the spring 14. under tension. As soon as the tension of thespring 14 is sufliciently strong the cable 11 draws upon the lever arm E drawing it downwardly and raising the weight E This operation serves to rock the rocking rod 0 which throws'the quadrant arm C 'in the direction of arrow,

revolving the of arrow freeing the gate arm B" falls gently and of its own horizontal position. I

In reference to the function of the springs 13, 14, 15 and 16, it may be-stated, first, that iinionBf also in the direction l r which gradually I by the springs stretching a little they relieve the tension and shock given to the cables 6, 9, 10 and 8 when the'levers F or F or G or G are moved by a train. The second purpose of each spring is to act as a means for mor ing the lockingbar to which it is connected far enough to bring the groove from under the latch bar "and thus prevent the latch bar from falling back into the groove which it would do without the spring when two or more locked latch devices are unlocked at different times, the weight E being prevented from doing its work until the last of the locking devices is unlocked by a train which dra \vs upon that the trainwhich one of the arms F 'and'G and the armjc downwardly thereby.

weight toward its ofits length, a

locked The springs are stretched when the latclibars fall into the grooves of the locking 'bar and remain stretched until the latch bars are pulled from the grooves, when by their contraction they instantly bring the grooves of the locking bars from under the latch bars.

--After the train has passed the crossing the Pvheel-flange engages the roller F connected the arm G thereby throwing the arm G in. the direction of arrow. This operation the cable, 23 raising the weight 20, into. engagement with the latch bar I thereby raising the free end of the latch bar and carrying such bar out of the notch H thereby freeing the bar H which is carried back to its normal position by means of the tension spring 14 which has been placed in tension as p se iously described. If thereis a second trai running in the same direction entering tij e crossing before the first train has left it will be readily understood first approaches the crossing will operate either the arm-F or G, drawing the locking bars H and H longitudinally into the locking position thus both bars will be locked and the gate arm held in its downward position until bothtrains have passed the crossin The first train passing the crossing will, of course, engageand free one of of course, would not raise the gateas both locking bars must be free before thegate can be raised, each locking bar being connected to the lever E, If one looking bar is released the lever is held down by the other but this operation,

locking bar and until the second locking bar is released by the ing no movement As soon as the lockingbars have been re leased as above described the weight E serves to carry the lever back again to its normal position carrying the gear quadrant arm C in the reverse direction to arroiv last train passing the crossthereby raising the arm C upwardly carryin the gatearm to its normal position. iZVhatw'e claim as our Invention is:

1. In a 'rallroad crossing gate, the combinationwiththeswingable' gate arms, of a rocking rod extending-crosswise of the track a nd beneath-thesame, a counter balanced on the rod"intermediately' lever supported counter weight carried on one end of the lever, means connected to the opposite end of the lever operated by an approaching train for raising and locking the arm in the raised position against the counter weight, and means for releasing the lever operated by the receding train, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a railroad crossing gate for a double track, th combination with the swingable gate arms adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the track, of a rocking rod extendof the gate will take place.

ing crosswise of the track and beneath the same, a turnable member supported in the gate arm support, a right angular bar carried thereby and designed to normally extend beneath the gate arm in its raised position, means operated by an approaching train for rocking the rod in one direction,

3. In a railroad crossing gate for adouble track, the combination'with the swingable gate arms adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the double track, a weight and mechanism operated by the weight for holding each gate arm in a raised position, of individual means actuated by each individual train approaching the crossing for raising the weight to allow the arms to swing downward,'means located at each end of the crossing and at the side of each track for locking the weight in the raised position, means for individually actuating said locking means actuated by a-train approaching the crossing, and means for individually releasing said locking means by means actuated by each train receding from the crossing whereby the weight is released by the locking means last released.

4. In a railroad crossing gate, the combination with the swingable gate arms, of a rocking rod located beneath the tracks, a swingable arm located at each side of the crossing in proximity to the track rail, a

counter-balanced lever mounted upon the rocking rod, a longitudinally movable notched locking bar, asuitably journaled pulley, a cable adapted to extend from one end of the notched locking bar around said pulley to the train operated lever at one side of the railroad crossing, a cable connecting the opposite end of the locking bar with the counter-balanced lever, a swingable slotted bar co-acting with the locking bar, and a cable connecting the slotted bar with the swingable lever located at the opposite side of the railroad crossing, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a railroad crossing gate, the combi nation with the swingable gate arms, of arocking rod extending crosswise of the track and beneath the same, a stud extending from the gate arm support, a pinion mounted on th stud, a right angular bar secured to the pinion and supporting the gate arm, a quadrant carried by the rocking rod and engaging the pinion, means operated by an approaching train for rocking the rod in one direction to release the gate arm and means controlled by the receding train to rock the rod in the opposite direction to raise the gate, as and for the purpose specified.

LAUNCELOT GEORGE EGGLESTON. V EDWARD OLIVANT.

Witnesses AGNES PnLToN, GRACE MGNAUGHTON. 

